2 Live Crew’s 1990 album “Live in Concert” has the distinction of being the first full-length live hip-hop album ever released. And it was recorded right here in Phoenix. Here’s how it happened.

The Group

2 Live Crew is an American hip-hop group from Miami, Florida. The group was formed in 1985, with a classic lineup that included Luke Skyywalker ((Luther Campbell, later known as Luke or Uncle Luke for legal reasons), Fresh Kid Ice (Chris Wong Won), and Brother Marquis (Mark Ross). They gained notoriety for their sexually explicit lyrics and raunchy live performances, which was exciting and lucrative until it landed them in jail.

In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, 2 Live Crew was one of the most controversial and influential hip-hop groups in the world. They peaked with their 1988 porn-rap opus, the double LP “As Nasty As They Wanna Be,” which led to an obscenity prosecution in Florida. That sparked a landmark First Amendment case that became a flashpoint for growing frustration with the crusade against dirty rock and rap lyrics that had captured the public imagination in the early MTV era. 

The Crew are credited with helping to popularize the Miami bass sound, a festive, physically charged mix of hip-hop, electro,Miami funk, Krafterk and Van Halen samples, and gratuitous, often hilarious, relentlessly pornographic lyrics.

The Show

In 1990, 2 Live Crew performed a live concert at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. At that time, the group had rarely appeared outside of Florida, so it was a major milestone in hip-hop lore in many respects. The concert was recorded and released as a live album, which featured some of their most popular songs: “C’mon Babe,” “Move Somethin’,” “Me So Horny,” “If You Believe in Having Sex,” and others with less euphemistic titles. The album was a decent success, riding the interest and goodwill generated from the obscenity case, and helped to further popularize the group’s music and provide proof-of-concept for the popularity of rap in non-coastal parts of the country.

The Sound

2 Live Crew’s music is a mix of hip-hop and Miami bass. Their sound is heavily influenced by the Miami funk scene, which is characterized by fast-paced beats and heavy bass lines, a raucous and fertile Southern underworld profiled at length in the second season of the podcast Mogul. They also incorporate electro-funk, freestyle, as well as novelty elements for comedic effect.

2 Live Crew also drew inspiration from other hip-hop groups such as Run-DMC, Public Enemy, and N.W.A., and went on to heavily influence Too $hort, the Notorious B.I.G., Lil’ Kim, and other witty, foul-mouthed acts.

Impact

“Live in Concert,” and the 2 Live Crew’s music more generally, had a major impact on hip-hop that is still felt today. They helped to popularize the Miami bass sound. Their sexually explicit lyrics were a major influence on the gangsta rap scene of the early 1990s, including acts such as the Geto Boys that went to much darker and more extreme places. The album captured the unique joy of the live rap experience, which up until then was largely unknown outside of major cities, mostly New York and Los Angeles. And the levity they brought to their performance helped make the world less hostile toward rappers who pushed the boundaries of good taste, including Ice-T, for whom the group was a useful precedent when defending his explosive 1992 track “Cop Killer.”

Why 2 Live Crew recorded their live album in Phoenix

Things have changed somewhat now that rap is widely hailed as America’s most commercially dominant and artistically innovative genre of music. But In the days before Injury Reserve, Phoenix was not recognized as a hub for hip-hop. 

2 Live Crew chose to record their live album in Phoenix because they knew it was a largely untapped market with significant potential. The group wanted to show that they could perform their music in front of a live audience outside of their home state of Florida and that fans outside of major cities would be enthusiastic to participate in the intense give-and-take of a Crew show. The concert was a major success, helped to further popularize the group’s music, and set a precedent for rappers who wanted to tour the nation.

The 2 Live Crew live concert was held at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. The venue was chosen because of its large capacity and the freedom it afforded the group to interact with the crowd, invite dancers on stage, and create an immersive experience.

The show included most of the group’s most beloved songs, along with extended comedic and interactive bits, especially Luke’s aggressive call-and-response cheerleading.

One of the most memorable moments of the concert was when Campbell performed the song “Me So Horny” while wearing a leather thong. Luke wore a beaming grin throughout the show, indicating what fans had always known: The Crew were dirty through and through, but they were funny first and foremost.

More than anything else, 2 Live Crew was always a rip-roaring comedy act with an over-the-top madcap sensibility, a healthy self-awareness, and an undisputed ability to turn a party out. The show proved the group’s artistic merit, and it put Phoenix on the hip-hop map.

And for anyone skeptical of the choice of venue, Luke was happy to explain that “Phoenix is too motherf***kin’ live.”